Donald Trump has promised to make America great again, but all kinds of controversies marred the first seven months of his presidency. Although he retains the support of his base in the Republican Party, the former reality television star is now one of the most unpopular presidents in history at this point of his reign.
However, with the hiring of former Marine General John Kelly as his new chief of staff and the departure of controversial right-wing figure Steve Bannon from the White House, Trump found an opportunity to change course a bit.
The real estate mogul from New York used the two hurricanes to present himself in a better light. Trump allied with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to push a Hurricane Harvey’s aid package through the finish line in Congress.
The trio also agreed to extend the debt limit for another few months. Another major battle is set for March 2018 on the same front.
According to people close to the 45th U.S. president, he is ready to cut some deals because he loved the media coverage he received for getting those two major items completed in a rapid fashion. Trump now has his eyes set on tax reform and turning an immigration executive order called DACA into law.
To accomplish his ambitious goals, it seems that the businessman is ready to throw his own party under the bus. Some say that with the strength of his base, he may be able to get a lot of things done that are not very popular in conservative politics.
The question remains, will he risk it all for the glory of finding bipartisan success in the most partisan political environment in a very long time. With a little courage, Trump could turn his surprising win in November into a very consequential presidency.
The latest developments have made him a favorite for reelection in 2020. That is a far cry from a few weeks ago when a good portion of the Washington observers believed that he was headed towards impeachment.
If Trump can get a real deal on immigration reform that solves the problem once and for all along with his wall, he will become almost unbeatable.
